Support mechanism

ABSTRACT

A support mechanism includes a bracket, a sliding member, a connecting unit, and an elastic member. The sliding member is slidably connected to the bracket. The connecting unit includes a first arm, a second arm pivotally connected to the first arm, a first pivot pivotally connecting a first ends of the first arm and the second arm, a second pivot pivotally connecting a second end of the first arm opposite to the first pivot and the bracket, a third pivot pivotally connecting a second end of the second arm opposite to the first pivot and the bracket, and a connecting piece sleeved on the first pivot. The elastic member is positioned between the connecting piece and the bracket. The sliding member resists the first arm and the second arm by an elastic force of the elastic member acting on the first arm and the second arm.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a divisional application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/548,406, filed on Aug. 26, 2009, which claimsall benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from CN 200910302587.0, filedon May 25, 2009, the contents of which are hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to support mechanisms,particularly, to a support mechanism for a display device.

2. Description of Related Art

A frequently used display generally repositions along two axes. Thedisplay panel rotates along a horizontal axis to allow viewing from anappropriate angle. The display panel also rotates on a vertical axis.

However, when the display device is to be viewed from multiple angles ofvarying height, it may be inconvenient.

Therefore, a support mechanism with adjustable height is desired toovercome the described limitations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, theemphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principlesof the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like referencenumerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views, and allthe views are schematic.

FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of a first embodiment of asupport mechanism, showing the support mechanism used in a displaydevice to support a display panel, the support mechanism including abase, a bracket, two sliding members, a connecting unit, an elasticmember, and a holding member.

FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of the support mechanism of FIG. 1without the base.

FIG. 3 is an assembled, isometric view of the support mechanism of FIG.1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the support mechanism of FIG. 1, showing thesliding members at a top end of the bracket.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the support mechanism of FIG. 1, showing thesliding members at a bottom end of the bracket.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a support mechanism,showing two sliding members at a top end of the bracket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a support mechanism 10 of thepresent disclosure utilized with a display device 100 is shown.Alternatively, the support mechanism 10 may be utilized with otherdevices such as lamps and webcams. The display device 100 includes thesupport mechanism 10 and a display panel 30 supported by the supportmechanism 10.

The support mechanism 10 includes a base 11, a bracket 12 fixed to thebase 11, two sliding members 13, a connecting unit 14, an elastic member15, and a holding member 16. The base 11 contacts a surface to supportthe display device 100. The holding member 16 supports the display panel30.

Referring also to FIG. 2, the bracket 12 includes a supporting member121 and two outer slide tracks 123. The supporting member 121 forms twoopposite connecting portions 1211 at opposite sides and a fixingprotrusion 1217 between the connecting portions 1211. The supportingmember 121 defines a pivot hole 1213 and a guiding slot 1215. Theguiding slot 1215 extends along an axis substantially parallel to theouter slide tracks 123. The outer slide tracks 123 are fixed on theconnecting portions 1211.

The sliding member 13 includes an inner slide track 131 to engage withthe outer slide track 123 and a resisting portion 133. The resistingportion 133 includes a pivoting portion 1331 and a wheel 1333 pivotallyconnected to the pivoting portion 1331.

The connecting unit 14 includes a first arm 141, a second arm 142, athird arm 143, a fourth arm 144, a first pivot 145 pivotally connectingan end of the first arm 141 and an end of the second arm 142, a secondpivot 146 pivotally connecting the other end of the first arm 141 and anend of the third arm 143, a third pivot 147 pivotally connecting theother end of the second arm 142 and an end of the fourth arm 144, afourth pivot 148 pivotally connecting the other end of the third arm 143and the other end of the fourth arm 144, and a connecting piece 149sleeved on the fourth pivot 148. The first arm 141 has a resistingsurface 1411 and the second arm 142 has a resisting surface 1421.

Referring to FIG. 3, the first arm 141 and the second arm 142 havesimilar structure and are approximately L-shaped. The first pivot 145runs through the pivot hole 1213 of the bracket 12, the first arm 141and the second arm 142. Ends of the first pivot 145 may be riveted toform flanges, thus retaining the bracket 12, the first arm 141 and thesecond arm 142 in place. The fourth pivot 148 runs through theconnecting piece 149, the third arm 143 and the fourth arm 144, andslidably extends in the guiding slot 1215. A nut 1481 is fixed at an endof the fourth pivot 148.

In the illustrated embodiment, the elastic member 15 is a columnarextension spring, but may alternatively be an extension piece or rubberpost, or other elastic components. Opposite ends of the elastic member15 are connected to the connecting piece 149 and the fixing protrusion1217. The holding member 16 is fixed to the inner slide tracks 131 ofthe sliding members 13. The holding member 16 and the sliding members 13are slidable on the bracket 12. The wheels 1333 resist the first arm 141and the second arm 142. The resisting surface 1411 of the first arm 141and the resisting surface 1421 of the second arm 142 are oblique to thesliding direction of the sliding members 13.

Referring to FIG. 4, when the sliding members 13 and the holding member16 are at a top portion of the bracket 12, a resisting force between thewheel 1333 and the first arm 141, and the wheel 1333 and the second arm142 are relatively small. An angle defined between the first arm 141 andthe second arm 142, and an angle defined between the third arm 143 andthe fourth arm 144 are relatively large. The fourth pivot 148 is near abottom end of the guiding slot 1215 of the bracket 12. The elasticmember 15 is either in a free state or extended.

Referring to FIG. 5, to lower the display panel 30, an external forceapplied on the display panel 30 slides the sliding members 13 and theholding member 16 relative to the bracket 12 toward the base 11. Thewheels 1333 resist the first arm 141 and the second arm 142 to rotatearound the first pivot 145, thus the end of the first arm 141 away fromthe first pivot 145 and the end of the second arm 142 away from thefirst pivot 145 move toward each other. The third arm 143 and the fourtharm 144 are urged to rotate around the second pivot 146 and the thirdpivot 147 respectively. The fourth pivot 148 slides in the guiding slot1215 towards the top end. The elastic member 15 is extended.

To elevate the display panel 30, another external force applied on thedisplay panel 30 slides the sliding members 13 and the holding member 16relative to the bracket 12 away from the base 11. The first, second,third, and fourth arms 141, 142, 143, 144 rotate accordingly. The fourthpivot 148 slides in the guiding slot 1215 toward the bottom end. Theelastic member 15 resets to its original state.

The display panel 30 together with the sliding members 13 and theholding member 16 can assume any position because of the resisting forcebetween the wheel 1333 and the first arm 141 and between the wheel 1333and the second arm 142 during adjustment of the display panel 30. Theelastic force of the elastic member 15 increases when the display panel30 is lowered. A counterforce applied on the wheels 1333 increasesaccordingly. Therefore, when the display panel 30 is lowered, a greaterexternal force must be applied to lower the display panel 30.

When the display panel 30 is lowered, a direction of the external forceto lower the display panel 30 is against a direction of thecounterforce, therefore, the external force should be relatively large.When elevating the display panel 30, a direction of another externalforce to elevate the display panel 30 is the same as the direction ofthe counterforce, therefore, this external force is relatively small.This makes people can lower or elevating the display panel 30conveniently and easily.

In the support mechanism 10, most of the weight of the display panel 30is borne on the arms of the connecting unit 14. Little weight of thedisplay panel 30 is borne on the elastic member 15. Therefore, theelastic member 15 does not wear out quickly. A slide range of thesliding members 13 and the holding member 16 is determined by the outerslide track 131 and the inner slide track 123, rather than the elasticmember 15, thus the slide range can remain unchanged, even over a longtime.

Alternatively, the connecting piece 149 may be omitted, in which case anend of the elastic member 15 is connected to any of the third arm 143,the fourth arm 144, or the fourth pivot 148. The wheels 1333 may beomitted, in which case the pivoting portions 1331 resist the first arm141 and the second arm 142.

Referring to FIG. 6, a second embodiment of the support mechanism 20 issimilar to the first embodiment of the support mechanism 10. The supportmechanism 20 includes a bracket 22, two sliding members 23, a connectingunit 24, an elastic member 25, and a holding member 26. A structure ofthe bracket 22 and the sliding members 23 is similar to structure of thebracket 12 and the sliding members 13. The bracket 22 includes asupporting member 221 and two outer slide tracks 223. The sliding member23 includes an inner slide track 231 and a resisting portion 233. Theresisting portion 233 includes a pivoting portion 2331 and a wheel 2333pivotally connected to the pivoting portion 2331. The bracket 22 definesa first guiding slot 2215 and a second guiding slot 2219 substantiallyperpendicular to each other, and forms a fixing protrusion 2217 at a topportion of the bracket 22.

The connecting unit 24 includes a first arm 241, a second arm 242, afirst pivot 243 pivotally connecting ends of the first arm 241 and thesecond arm 242, a second pivot 244 pivotally connecting the other end ofthe first arm 241 opposite to the first pivot 243 and the bracket 22, athird pivot 245 pivotally connecting the other end of the second arm 242opposite to the first pivot 243 and the bracket 22, and a connectingpiece 246. The connecting piece 246 is sleeved on the first pivot 243.The holding member 26 is fixed to the inner slide tracks 231 of thesliding members 23. Ends of the elastic member 25 are connected to thefixing protrusion 2217 and the connecting piece 246. In the illustratedembodiment, the elastic member 25 is a compression spring. The secondpivot 244 and the third pivot 245 are slidable in the second guidingslot 2219, and the first pivot 243 is slidable in the first guiding slot2215.

When the display panel 30 moves downwards, the wheels 2333 resist thefirst arm 241 and the second arm 242 to rotate around the first pivot243, thus the ends of the first arm 141 and the second arm 142 away fromthe first pivot 145 move toward each other. The second pivot 244 and thethird pivot 245 slide in the second guiding slot 2219 and move towardeach other, and the first pivot 243 slides in the first guiding slot2215 towards the top end. The elastic member 25 is compressed. When thedisplay panel 30 moves upwards, the second pivot 244 and the third pivot245 move away from each other, and the first pivot 243 slides in thefirst guiding slot 2215 towards the bottom end. The elastic member 25resets to its original state.

Alternatively, the second guiding slot 2219, the second pivot 244, andthe third pivot 245 may be omitted. Instead, the bracket 22 forms aguiding portion; ends of the first arm 241 and the second arm 242 resistthe guiding portion and slide along the guiding portion.

Finally, while various embodiments have been described and illustrated,the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Variousmodifications can be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure asdefined by the appended claims.

1. A support mechanism, comprising: a bracket defining a first guiding slot and a second guiding slot substantially perpendicular to each other; a sliding member slidably connected to the bracket; a connecting unit comprising a first arm, a second arm pivotally connected to the first arm, a first pivot pivotally connecting first ends of the first arm and the second arm, a second pivot pivotally connecting a second end of the first arm opposite to the first pivot and the bracket, a third pivot pivotally connecting a second end of the second arm opposite to the first pivot and the bracket, and a connecting piece sleeved on the first pivot; and an elastic member positioned between the connecting piece and the bracket; wherein the sliding member resists the first arm and the second arm by an elastic force of the elastic member acting on the first arm and the second arm.
 2. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein the bracket forms a fixing protrusion at a top portion of the bracket, and ends of the elastic member are connected to the fixing protrusion and the connecting piece.
 3. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein the sliding member comprises a resisting portion, and the resisting portion resists the first arm and the second arm.
 4. The support mechanism of claim 3, wherein the resisting portion comprises a pivoting portion and a wheel pivotally connected to the pivoting portion, and the wheel resists the first arm or the second arm.
 5. The support mechanism of claim 1, further comprising another sliding member, each of the sliding members comprises an inner slide track, and the bracket comprises a supporting member and two outer slide tracks engaging with two inner slide tracks of the two sliding members.
 6. The support mechanism of claim 5, further comprising a holding member fixed to the inner slide tracks of the sliding members.
 7. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein the elastic member comprises a compression spring. 